Thursday, March 15, 2018

Self-Regulation

Since the fall, I have been taking the Foundations Course with the
MEHRIT Centre, based at Trent University, with Dr. Stuart Shanker, author
of Calm, Alert and Learning and Self-Reg.
What I have learned has had a profound effect on my practice as an
educator. I have learned that the bond between baby and mother affects
the baby’s brain development, even before birth. I have learned that when
exposed to repeated excessive stress a child can develop a negative bias, a
habit of thinking that threats are everywhere, and a hypervigilance that interferes
with relationships, learning and overall wellness.I have also learned about some helpful and
effective ways to respond to children whose anxiety or sensitivity leads them
to behave in unexpected ways.

Shanker strongly believes that children want to do well, but
sometimes have maladaptive responses to stress, the sources of which may be
hidden.He believes there are five
domains of stressors:biological,
emotional, cognitive, social and pro-social.The job of a caring adult is to help children co-regulate in response to
stress.We can do this by reframing the behavior
as a stress response rather than misbehavior.We can then try to determine what is the source of the stress, and seek
to reduce or remove it by soothing the child.Reflecting on this process and developing self-awareness can then help a
child develop strategies for responding to stress and restoring equilibrium,
returning to a state of calm.

Now when I see children through the lens of self-regulation, I am
less likely to feel annoyance or impatience.I feel very curious about what the stressors might be, and I look for ways
to alleviate the anxiety that is causing the behaviour.

Recently, I have been thinking about how stressful some children
must find recess and lunch outdoor playtime.Even though we know that outdoor play is really beneficial for children,
it is unstructured and has the potential for a lot of discomfort in each of the
domains.One idea I have is to equip
each class with not just balls and Frisbees and skipping ropes, but also
playing cards, jacks, marbles, sidewalk chalk, dexterity toys and other things
to choose from.I think these kits might
help those students who find the length of time and unpredictability of the
recess stressful.We shall see.

I am very proud of my teachers who have been creating flexible
learning spaces in their classrooms.These micro-environments held students build stamina for learning.When kids are comfortable and able to stand,
sit, or kneel, they will far more likely persevere at tasks.When the lighting is soft, the colours and
visuals not overly stimulating, students are more calm and able to focus.We have noticed a big difference.For example, this year very few students have
been sent to the office for misbehavior.Three years ago, this took up most of my time.It also helps that this year class sizes are
significantly smaller in the intermediate grades, giving teachers more time to
deal with less serious infractions.Teachers are more willing to do hands-on learning activities when they
do not have as many students to manage.This boosts interest, engagement, and academic success.

Learning through the Foundations course has given me a renewed sense of
responsibility toward the learners in my school, child and adult alike. People need to feel safe, secure, cared-for,
and calm in order to do their best at anything.
We, the adults, have the privilege and responsibility of co-regulating,
of helping younger brains develop, of being half of the dyad for each school
day. I did not know that my brain was so
fundamentally important in this process. Now that I do, I feel a stronger sense
of belonging and purpose. Thank you, Dr.
Shanker!